Image displacement device

ABSTRACT

An image displacement device includes a first grating and a second grating. Each grating is switchable between a diffracting state and a non-diffracting state. The first grating has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface receives image beams, and the image beams leave the first grating by the second surface. The second grating is disposed downstream from the first grating in a light path and has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface. The third surface receives the image beams, and the image beams leave the second grating by the fourth surface. An exit direction of the image beam exiting the second grating is shifted a distance in a first direction from an incident direction of the image beam incident to the first grating.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION a. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to an optical device, and moreparticularly to an image displacement device.

b. Description of the Related Art

Nowadays, various image display technologies have been widely used indaily life. In a display apparatus, an image displacement device can beprovided to modify or change light paths to enhance perceived imageresolution, improve picture quality, or provide other beneficialeffects. Typically, a conventional image displacement device may includea light path adjustment mechanism with a set of moving parts and a setof fixed parts to allow reciprocating motion of an optical element andtherefore cause displacement of pixel images. Under the circumstance,the perceived image resolution is enhanced based on the visual effectknown as persistence of vision. However, moving parts of a conventionalimage displacement device, normally swimming at a high speed, are liableto generate high-frequency noises and causes considerable vibrations toreduce service life of components. Moreover, the light utilizationefficiency cannot be further improved because the light path adjustmentmechanism has a comparatively longer transition time. Besides, in case apassive component (such as a light valve) varies in dimensions, theimage displacement device needs to be re-designed to conform to theupdated dimension and its materials and structures also needs to bere-verified to therefore complicate fabrication processes and entireassembly.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an image displacementdevice includes a first grating and a second grating. Each of the firstgrating and the second grating is switchable between a diffracting stateand a non-diffracting state. The first grating has a first surface and asecond surface opposite the first surface, the first surface receivesimage beams, and the image beams leave the first grating by the secondsurface. The second grating is disposed downstream from the firstgrating in a light path and has a third surface and a fourth surfaceopposite the third surface. The third surface receives the image beams,and the image beams leave the second grating by the fourth surface. Anexit direction of the image beams exiting the second grating is shifteda distance in a first direction from an incident direction of the imagebeams incident to the first grating. The image beams are projected toform a plane image comprised of rows and columns of pixels, each pixelin the plane image is capable of being displaced from an originalposition through the shift of the image beams in the first direction,and a displacement of the pixel is smaller than five times a width ofthe pixel. Accordingly, the pixel images that a viewer may perceive aredoubled in number to double the perceived image resolution, based on thevisual effect known as persistence of vision.

According to another aspect of the invention, an image displacementdevice includes a first grating, a second grating, a third grating and afourth grating. The first grating is switchable between a diffractingstate and a non-diffracting state and has a first surface and a secondsurface opposite the first surface. The first surface receives an imagebeam, and the image beam leaves the first grating by the second surface.The second grating is switchable between a diffracting state and anon-diffracting state and is disposed downstream from the first gratingin a light path. The second grating has a third surface and a fourthsurface opposite the third surface, the third surface receives the imagebeam, and the image beam leaves the second grating by the fourthsurface. A third grating is switchable between a diffracting state and anon-diffracting state and disposed downstream from the second grating inthe light path. The third grating has a fifth surface and a sixthsurface opposite the fifth surface, the fifth surface receives the imagebeam, and the image beam leaves the third grating by the sixth surface.The fourth grating is switchable between a diffracting state and anon-diffracting state and disposed downstream from the third grating inthe light path. The fourth grating has a seventh surface and a eighthsurface opposite the seventh surface, the seventh surface receives theimage beam, and the image beam leaves the fourth grating by the eighthsurface. An exit direction of the image beam exiting through the eighthsurface is shifted a first distance in a first direction and shifted asecond distance in a second direction from an incident direction of theimage beam incident to the first surface, and the second direction isdifferent to the first direction. Accordingly, the four gratings allowthe image beam to be alternately directed to at least four differentlocations so as to increase the perceived image resolution at least byfour times.

According to the above aspects, a diffraction grating such as an HPDLCcell may serve as a light path adjustment element to slightly shift theposition of pixel images for a distance, without the need of any movingpart. This may resolve the problems of noises and collision with themoving part and may increase the service life of components. Besides, aliquid crystal cell may have a short transition time to retain moreoptical energy. Further, using the diffraction grating may simplify alight path adjustment mechanism and is well adapted to any dimensionalmodifications of a passive component such as a light valve.

Other objectives, features and advantages of the invention will befurther understood from the further technological features disclosed bythe embodiments of the invention wherein there are shown and describedpreferred embodiments of this invention, simply by way of illustrationof modes best suited to carry out the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show an HPDLC cell functioning as a gratingaccording to an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show schematic diagrams of an image displacement deviceaccording to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram illustrating offset position of pixelimages according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 4A to 4D and 5A to 5D show schematic diagrams of an imagedisplacement device according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram illustrating offset positions of pixelimages according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram illustrating offset positions of pixelimages according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram illustrating an image displacementdevice according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram illustrating offset position of pixelimages according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 shows a schematic diagram illustrating an image displacementdevice according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 shows a schematic diagram of an image displacement device usedin an optical projection system according to an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 12 shows a schematic diagram of an image displacement device usedin an optical projection system according to another embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 13A shows a schematic diagram of a projected plane image notshifted by an image displacement device, and FIG. 13B illustrates aschematic diagram of a projected plane image shifted by an imagedisplacement device according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14A shows a schematic diagram of a projected plane image shifted byan image displacement device according to another embodiment of theinvention, and FIG. 14B illustrates different displaced directions of apixel in respective intervals of a frame time.

FIG. 15A shows a schematic diagram of a projected plane image notshifted by an image displacement device, and FIG. 15B illustrates aschematic diagram of a projected plane image shifted by an imagedisplacement device according to another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description relates in general to an image displacementdevice used with an optical system (e.g., a display device or aprojector) to modify or change light paths to enhance perceived imageresolution, improve picture quality (e.g., eliminating dark regions orblurring image edges), or provide other beneficial effects. Further, itshould be understood that the image displacement device is not limitedto a specific arrangement and location in the optical system.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show a holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal(HPDLC) cell functioning as a grating switchable between a diffractingstate and a non-diffracting state, where FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectionof an HPDLC cell applied with a voltage and FIG. 1B shows across-section of the HPDLC cell not applied with a voltage. In oneembodiment, an HPDLC cell 10 functioning as a grating is switchablebetween a diffracting state and a non-diffracting state. As shown inFIG. 1A, when a power supply 22 applies, for example, a voltage to theHPDLC cell 10 to form a non-diffracting state, the refractive index ofliquid crystals 12 is substantially the same as that of polymers 14, andthus an image beam I may travel though the HPDLC cell 10 in asubstantially straight direction without being subject to opticalinterference. In comparison, as shown in FIG. 1B, when no voltage isapplied to the HPDLC cell 10, the different refractive indices ofpolymers 14 and liquid crystals 12 result in light diffraction effectsto form the diffracting state, and thus the image beam I incident to theHPDLC cell 10 is subject to optical interference to be deflected by theHPDLC cell 10 at an angle θ, so that the image beam I may exit the HPDLCcell 10 in a direction different to the incident direction. Note thatthe formation of the diffracting state and the non-diffracting state isnot limited to a specific way. In other embodiment, by using liquidcrystal materials with negative dielectric anisotropy or changingmaterial property of photosensitive pre-polymer monomers, the HPDLC cell10 may be in a diffracting state when being applied with a voltage andin a non-diffracting state when no voltage is applied.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show schematic diagrams of an image displacement deviceaccording to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 2A andFIG. 2B, the image displacement device 110 includes a first grating 112and a second grating 114 disposed side by side, and each of the firstgrating 112 and the second grating 114 is switchable between adiffracting state and a non-diffracting state. The second grating 114 isdisposed downstream from the first grating 112 in a light path; that is,an image beam I first passes through the first grating 112 and thenpasses through the second grating 114. The first grating 112 has asurface 112 a and a surface 112 b opposite the surface 112 a, and thesecond grating 114 has a surface 114 a and a surface 114 b opposite thesurface 114 a. An image beam I travels through the surface 112 a and thesurface 112 b in succession and leaves the first grating 112 by thesurface 112 b. Then, the image beam I exiting the surface 112 b travelsthrough the surface 114 a and the surface 114 b in succession andfinally leaves the second grating 114 by the surface 114 b. In thisembodiment, in case the first grating 112 and the second grating 114 areboth in a non-diffracting state, the image beam I travels through thefirst grating 112 and the second grating 114 in succession in asubstantially straight direction, as shown in FIG. 2A, to form a pixelimage P shown in FIG. 3. In comparison, as shown in FIG. 2B, in case thefirst grating 112 and the second grating 114 are both in a diffractingstate, the image beam I is deflected downwards by the first grating 112at an angle θ and incident to the second grating 114, and then the imagebeam I is deflected upwards by the second grating 114 at an angle θ.Therefore, an exit direction of the image beam I exiting the secondgrating 114 is shifted in a first direction (such as the verticaldirection) by a distance DS from an incident direction of the image beamI incident to the first grating 112 to form another pixel image Q shownin FIG. 3. In this embodiment, the exit direction is substantiallyparallel to the incident direction of the image beam I. Accordingly,when the image displacement device 110 is switched between a diffractingstate and a non-diffracting state, the pixel images a viewer mayperceive are doubled in number (e.g., two perceived pixel images P and Qcorresponding to one physical pixel) based on the visual effect known aspersistence of vision. Moreover, in this embodiment, the image beam Imakes an incident angle α with respect to the surface normal of thesurface 112 a and an exit angle θ with respect to the surface normal ofthe surface 114 b, and the incident angle α may be substantially equalto the exit angle θ.

FIGS. 4A to 5D show schematic diagrams of an image displacement deviceaccording to another embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 4A to 4D andFIGS. 5A to 5D respectively show side views and top views of the sameimage displacement device under different states. In this embodiment,the image displacement device 120 includes a first grating 122, a secondgrating 124, a third grating 132 and a fourth grating 134, and each ofthem is switchable between a diffracting state and a non-diffractingstate. The second grating 124 is disposed downstream from the firstgrating 122 in a light path, the third grating 132 is disposeddownstream from the second grating 124 in the light path, and the fourthgrating 134 is disposed downstream from the third grating 132 in thelight path. In this embodiment, the gratings 122, 124, 132 and 134 aredisposed side by side. The first grating 122 and the second grating 124form a first displacement unit that can direct an image beam Itransmitted therethrough towards at least two different positions alonga first direction. The third grating 132 and the fourth grating 134 forma second displacement unit that can direct the image beam I transmittedtherethrough towards at least two different positions along a seconddirection that is different to the first direction. Therefore, in casethe orientation of grating structures of the first displacement unit isdifferent to the orientation of grating structures of the seconddisplacement unit, the image beam I is alternately directed to at leastfour different locations on a display, thereby increasing the perceivedimage resolution at least by four times. Referring to FIG. 4A to FIG.5D, the first grating 122 has a surface 122 a and a surface 122 bopposite the surface 122 a, an image beam I is received by the surface122 a and leaves the first grating 122 by the surface 122 b, the secondgrating 124 has a surface 124 a and a surface 124 b opposite the surface124 a, the image beam I is received by the surface 124 a and leaves thesecond grating 124 by the surface 124 b, the third grating 132 has asurface 132 a and a surface 132 b opposite the surface 132 a, the imagebeam I is received by the surface 132 a and leaves the third grating 132by the surface 132 b, the fourth grating 134 has a surface 134 a and asurface 134 b opposite the surface 134 a, the image beam I is receivedby the surface 134 a and leaves the fourth grating 134 by the surface134 b. In this embodiment, in case the first displacement unit (gratings122 and 124) and the second displacement unit (gratings 132 and 134) areboth in a non-diffracting state, the image beam I travels through allgratings 122, 124, 132 and 134 in succession in a substantially straightdirection, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 5A, to form a pixel image P shown inFIG. 6. As shown in FIGS. 4B and 5B, in case the first displacement unit(gratings 122 and 124) is in a diffracting state and the seconddisplacement unit (gratings 132 and 134) is in a non-diffracting state,and the image beam I, as shown in FIG. 4B, is deflected by the firstdisplacement unit (gratings 122 and 124) to shift a distance S1 in afirst direction (such as the vertical direction) from its incidentdirection to form another pixel image Q shown in FIG. 6. As shown inFIGS. 4C and 5C, in case the first displacement unit (gratings 122 and124) is in a non-diffracting state and the second displacement unit(gratings 132 and 134) is in a diffracting state, the image beam I, asshown in FIG. 5C, is deflected by the second displacement unit (gratings132 and 134) to shift a distance S2 in a second direction (such as thehorizontal direction) from its incident direction to form another pixelimage R shown in FIG. 6. The shifting direction of the distance S2 isdifferent to the shifting direction of the distance S1, because theorientation of grating structures of the first displacement unit isdifferent to the orientation of grating structures of the seconddisplacement unit. As shown in FIGS. 4D and 5D, in case the firstdisplacement unit (gratings 122 and 124) and the second displacementunit (gratings 132 and 134) are both in a diffracting state, the imagebeam I is deflected by the first displacement unit (gratings 122 and124) to shift a vertical distance S1 and deflected by the seconddisplacement unit (gratings 132 and 134) to shift a horizontal distanceS2 from its incident direction to form another pixel image S shown inFIG. 6. Therefore, the two displacement units allow the image beam I tobe alternately directed to at least four different locations so as toincrease the perceived image resolution at least by four times.Moreover, in this embodiment, the image beam I makes a first incidentangle with respect to the surface normal of the surface 122 a and makesa first exit angle with respect to the surface normal of the surface 124b, and the first incident angle may be substantially equal to the firstexit angle. Further, the image beam I makes a second incident angle withrespect to the surface normal of the surface 132 a and makes a secondexit angle with respect to the surface normal of the surface 134 b, andthe second incident angle may be substantially equal to the second exitangle. Therefore, the first incident angle with respect to the surfacenormal of the surface 122 a may be substantially equal to the secondexit angle with respect to the surface normal of the surface 134 b.

In the above embodiment, the two-dimensional adjustment of light pathsis achieved by providing the first displacement unit (gratings 122 and124) and the second displacement (gratings 132 and 134) with differentlyoriented grating structures. Therefore, by varying orientations ofgrating structures, the four pixel images corresponding to a physicalpixel may form an orthogonal outline shown in FIG. 6 or a non-orthogonaloutline shown in FIG. 7 to meet various requirements of light pathadjustments. Moreover, the switch sequence of the diffracting state andthe non-diffracting state, the order of arrangement, and the alignedorientations of grating structures of the first grating 122, secondgrating 124, third grating 132 and the fourth grating 134 are notrestricted, as long as the two-dimensional image displacement isachieved. For example, in other embodiment, the first grating 122 andthe third grating 132 are both in the same diffracting state or in thesame non-diffracting state, and the second grating 124 and the fourthgrating 134 are both in the same diffracting state or in the samenon-diffracting state. In other embodiment, grating structures of thefirst grating 122 and the third grating 132 may have an identical firstaligned orientation, grating structures of the second grating 124 andthe fourth grating 134 may have an identical second aligned orientation,and the first aligned orientation is different to the second alignedorientation.

It should be noted the pixel images P, Q, R and S shown in the abovefigures are depicted merely for explaining the image displacement butnot to illustrate actual position or proportion relationships of pixelimages.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram of an image displacement deviceaccording to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 8, animage displacement device 200 includes a projection lens 210, a grating220 and a reflective optics 230. The grating 220 is switchable between adiffracting state and a non-diffracting state, and the reflective optics230 has a reflective surface 230 a and is disposed downstream from thegrating 220 in a light path. The projection lens 210 includes a lensgroup having multiple lenses (such as lenses 212, 214, 216 and 218), andthe grating 220 and the reflective optics 230 are located in the lensgroup of the projection lens 210. In this embodiment, the lens 212,among all lenses 212, 214, 216 and 218, is closest to the reflectivesurface 230 a, and which lens is closest to the reflective surface 230 ais determined by measuring a distance between the geometric center ofthe reflective surface 230 and the geometric center of each of thelenses 212, 214, 216 and 218. In this embodiment, a distance d1 betweenthe grating 220 and the reflective surface 230 a is smaller than adistance d2 between the lens 212 and the reflective surface 230 a(d1<d2). Herein, each distance among the grating 220, the reflectivesurface 230 a and the lens 212 is a distance among respective geometriccenters of the grating 220, the reflective surface 230 a and the lens212 measured along an optical axis of the projection lens 210. Thegrating 220 may be, for example, a holographic polymer dispersed liquidcrystal (HPDLC) cell. In case the grating 220 is in a non-diffractingstate, an image beam I is incident to the reflective surface 230 a in asubstantially straight direction and reflected by the reflective surface230 a to form an image beam I1. In comparison, in case the grating 220is in a diffracting state, the image beam I is deflected by the grating220 to form an image beam I2, and the image beam I2 deflected by thegrating 220 and the image beam I1 reflected by the reflective surface230 a propagate in different directions (making different angles withrespect to the surface normal of the reflective surface 230 a). In thisembodiment, when the grating 220 is disposed overlapping or adjacent toan aperture stop of the projection lens 210, the image beam I1 and theimage beam I2 respectively form a pixel image P and a pixel image Q, andthe pixel image Q is shifted a distance from the pixel image P, as shownin FIG. 9. Therefore, when the image displacement device 200 switchesbetween a diffracting state and a non-diffracting state, the image beamis directed to two different locations, and thus the pixel images that aviewer may perceive are doubled in number to double the perceived imageresolution. Moreover, in case two gratings having mutually differentorientations of grating structures are provided, similar toaforementioned embodiments, the image beam is alternately directed tofour different locations, and thus a two-dimensional image displacementis achieved to increase the perceived resolution by four times.

FIG. 10 shows a schematic diagram of an image displacement deviceaccording to another embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 10,an image displacement device 250 includes a projection lens 260 and agrating 270. The grating 270 is switchable between a diffracting stateand a non-diffracting state, and the projection lens 260 includes a lensgroup having multiple lenses (such as a first lens 262, a second lens264 and a third lens 266). The grating 270 may be disposed in theprojection lens 260. In this embodiment, no lens with refractive poweris disposed between the first lens 262 and the second lens 264, thegrating 270 is disposed on one side of the first lens 262 facing awayfrom the second lens 264, and the grating 270 is disposed overlapping oradjacent to an aperture stop 268 of the projection lens 260. In thisembodiment, a distance D1 between the grating 270 and the aperture stop268 of the projection lens 260 is smaller than a distance D2 between thegrating 270 and the second lens 264 (D1<D2). Herein, each distance amongthe grating 270, the aperture stop 268 and the second lens 264 is adistance among respective geometric centers of the grating 270, theaperture stop 268 and the second lens 264 measured along an optical axisof the projection lens 260. The grating 270 may be, for example, aholographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) cell. In case thegrating 270 is in a non-diffracting state, the image beam I travelsthrough the grating 270 in a substantially straight direction to form animage beam I1. In comparison, in case the grating 270 is in adiffracting state, the image beam I is deflected by the grating 270 toform an image beam I2. The image beam I2 deflected by the grating 270and the image beam I1 travels through the grating 270 propagate indifferent directions. Therefore, when the image displacement device 250switches between a diffracting state and a non-diffracting state, theimage beam I from a pixel PL may form two image beams I1 and I2 that aredirected to two different locations and respectively form a pixel imagePI1 and a pixel image PI2 by the projection lens 260, and the pixelimage PI2 is shifted a distance from the pixel image PI1, as shown inFIG. 10. Therefore, the pixel images that a viewer may perceive aredoubled in number to double the perceived resolution. Moreover, in casetwo gratings having mutually different orientations of gratingstructures are provided, similar to aforementioned embodiments, theimage beam is alternately directed to four different locations, and thusa two-dimensional image displacement is achieved to increase theperceived resolution by four times.

FIG. 11 shows a schematic diagram of an image displacement device usedin an optical projection system according to an embodiment of theinvention. Referring to FIG. 11, an optical projection system 400includes an illumination system 310, a light valve 320, a projectionlens 260 and an image displacement device 110. The illumination system310 has a light source 312 for providing a light beam 314, and the lightvalve 320 is disposed in a propagation path of the light beam 314 andconverts the light beam 314 into multiple sub images 314 a. Besides, theprojection lens 260 is disposed in a propagation path of the sub images314 a, and the light valve 320 is disposed between the illuminationsystem 310 and the projection lens 260. For example, the imagedisplacement device 110 may be disposed between the light valve 320 anda TIR Prism 319 or between the TIR Prism 319 and the projection lens260. The light source 312 may, for example, include a red LED 312R, agreen LED 312G and a blue LED 312B. Light from each of the LEDs 312R,312G and 312B are combined by a light combiner 316 to form the lightbeam 314, and the light beam 314 passes a fly-eye lens array 317, a lensassembly 318 and the TIR Prism 319 in succession. Then, the light beam314 is reflected by the TIR Prism 319, directed to the light valve 320,and converted into multiple sub images 314 a by the light valve 320. Thesub images 314 a pass the TIR Prism 319 and are projected on a screen350 by the projection lens 260. In this embodiment, when the sub images314 a reach the image displacement device 110, the image displacementdevice 110 may reflect the sub images 314 a and alter the propagationpath of the sub images 314 a. Therefore, at a first time point the subimages 314 a are projected on a first position (not shown) of the screen350 by the image displacement device 110, at a second time point the subimages 314 a are projected on a second position (not shown) of thescreen 350 by the image displacement device 110, and the second positionis shifted a distance from the first position in a horizontal directionand/or a vertical direction. In this embodiment, the image displacementdevice 110 is allowed to horizontally and/or vertically shift theposition of the sub images 314 a for a distance to therefore improvehorizontally and/or vertically image resolutions. Although the imagedisplacement device is described herein as being applied to the opticalprojection system 400, in other embodiments, the image displacementdevice can be applied to different optical systems to achieve differenteffects without limitation. Besides, the arrangement and position of theimage displacement device in an optical system is not restricted. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 12, at least one grating 220 switchablebetween a diffracting state and a non-diffracting state may be disposedinside a projection lens 210 of an optical projection system 410.

FIG. 13A illustrates a schematic diagram of a projected plane image notshifted by an image displacement device, and FIG. 13B illustrates aschematic diagram of a projected plane image shifted by an imagedisplacement device according to an embodiment of the invention.Referring to FIGS. 13A and 13B, the plane image is comprised of rows andcolumns of pixels 500, and the image displacement device according tothe above embodiments is allowed to move each pixel 500 to differentimaging positions along one of the moving directions X and Y. In thisembodiment, each pixel 500 is displaced by a fraction of pixel from theoriginal position (solid grid) to four different imaging positions(dotted grids) in the first direction X or the second direction Yaccording to the arrangement of gratings, and the fraction is about 0.7.Therefore, the image resolution can be increased by four times.

FIG. 14A illustrates a schematic diagram of a projected plane imageshifted by an image displacement device according to another embodimentof the invention. In this embodiment, each pixel 500 can be shifted inthe directions X′, Y′, X′Y′1, and X′Y′2, the pixel 500 is displaced fromthe original position (solid grid) to a different imaging position(dotted grid) for a first distance in the direction X′ and the directionY′ and for a second distance in the direction X′ Y′1 and the directionX′Y′2, the first distance is substantially equal to the width of onepixel 500, and the second distance is substantially equal to 1.4 timesthe width of one pixel 500. Herein, the width of one pixel 500 may bemeasured in the row direction of the plane image comprised of rows andcolumns of pixels. Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, numerals 1to 9 denote different imaging positions of the same pixel at differenttime intervals. The plane image shows eight displaced positions in thepresent embodiment, but the invention is not limited thereto. Thenumeral 1 represents the original position (solid grid) of a pixel 500.The numerals 3 and 7 represent the displaced positions of the pixel 500displaced in the direction X′. The numerals 5 and 9 represent thedisplaced positions of the pixel 500 displaced in the direction Y′. Thenumerals 2 and 6 represent the displaced positions of the pixel 500displaced in the direction X′Y′1. The numerals 4 and 8 represent thedisplaced positions of the pixel 500 displaced in the direction X′ Y′2.The numerals 1 to 9 in FIG. 14B denotes different time interval, whichcorresponds to the original position 1 and different displaced positions2 to 9 shown in FIG. 14A. Further, the vertical axis of FIG. 14Brepresents that the pixel 500 can be shifted along different directions(direction X′ and/or direction Y′) within different time intervals. Forinstance, during the interval 1, the vertical axis values correspondingto the direction X′ and the direction Y′ are both 0, meaning the pixel500 is not displaced in the direction X′ and the direction Y′. Duringthe interval 2, the vertical axis values corresponding to the directionX′ and the direction Y′ are both positive, meaning the pixel 500 isdisplaced from position 1 in the direction X′Y′1 between the directionX′ and the direction Y′ to position 2. During the interval 4, thevertical axis value corresponding to the direction X′ is positive, thevertical axis value corresponding to the direction Y′ is negative,meaning the pixel 500 is displaced from position 1 in the oppositedirection of the direction X′ Y′ to position 4. Other numerals aredefined in the same manner and are not repeated herein. Moreover, asshown in FIG. 14A, the pixel 500 can be displaced to eight differentpositions (dotted grids) from an original position (solid grid) withoutoverlapping the original position, and therefore the image resolutioncan be increased by nine times.

FIG. 15A illustrates a schematic diagram of a projected plane image notshifted by an image displacement device, and FIG. 15B illustrates aschematic diagram of a projected plane image shifted by an imagedisplacement device according to another embodiment of the invention.Referring to FIG. 15A, the pixel 500 is displaced in the direction X″for a first distance and displaced in the direction Y″ for a seconddistance, the first distance is substantially twice the width of onepixel 500, and the second distance is substantially equal to 1.1 timesthe width of one pixel 500. Therefore, the original position (solidgrid) of the pixel 500 can be displaced to four different positions(dotted grids), and thus the image resolution can be increased by fourtimes.

In various embodiments of the invention, the pixel is capable of beingdisplaced from an original position by the image displacement module,the number of the displaced positions for a pixel may be smaller than10, and the displacement of the pixel may be smaller than five times awidth of the pixel, more preferably smaller than twice a width of thepixel.

Based on the above embodiments, a fabrication method of an imagedisplacement device according to an embodiment of the invention isdescribed below. First, a first grating and a second grating aredisposed in a housing, and each of the first grating and the secondgrating is switchable between a diffracting state and a non-diffractingstate. The first grating has a first surface and a second surfaceopposite the first surface, the first surface receives image beams, andthe image beams leave the first grating by the second surface. Thesecond grating is disposed downstream from the first grating in a lightpath and has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the thirdsurface. The third surface receives the image beams, and the image beamsleave the second grating by the fourth surface. An exit direction of theimage beams exiting the second grating is shifted a distance in a firstdirection from an incident direction of the image beams incident to thefirst grating. The image beams are projected to form a plane imagecomprised of rows and columns of pixels, each pixel in the plane imageis capable of being displaced from an original position through theshift of the image beams in the first direction, and the displacement ofthe pixel is smaller than five times a width of the pixel.

According to the above embodiments, a diffraction grating such as anHPDLC cell may serve as a light path adjustment element to slightlyshift the position of pixel images for a distance, without the need ofany moving part. This may resolve the problems of noises and collisionwith the moving part and may increase the service life of components.Besides, a liquid crystal cell may have a short transition time toretain more optical energy. Further, using the diffraction grating maysimplify a light path adjustment mechanism and is well adapted to anydimensional modifications of a passive component such as a light valve.

The term “optical element” refers to an element made from at least inpart a material that may refract, reflect, diffract, diffuse or filterat least a portion of the light passing through it. The material mayinclude plastic or glass, and the optical element may be, for example, alens, a prism or a reflective mirror.

The term “light valve”, which is commonly known in the projectorindustry, refers to individually-addressed optical units of a spatiallight modulator. The spatial light modulator includes multipleindividually-addressed optical units arranged as a one-dimensional or atwo-dimensional array. Each optical unit can be individually addressedby optical or electrical signals to alter its optical properties throughvarious physical effects (e.g., Pockels effect, Kerr effect,photo-acoustic effect, pagneto-optic effect, self electro-optic effector photorefractive effect). Therefore, the multiple individuallyaddressed optical units may modify incoming light beams and output imagebeams. The optical units may be, for example, micro mirrors or liquidcrystal cells, and the light valve may be a digital micro-mirror device(DMD), a liquid-crystal-on-silicon panel (LCOS panel) or a transmissivetype LCD panel.

An optical projection system or a projector is an apparatus capable ofcasting an image on a screen through optical projection. In theprojector industry, a variety of different types of projectors, whichare distinguished from each other by the type of a light valve, mayinclude a cathode-ray-tube type, a liquid-crystal-display (LCD) type, adigital-light-projector (DLP) type or a liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCOS)type. An LCD-type projector that uses an LCD as a light valve is atransmissive type projector. A DLP-type projector using digitalmicro-mirror devices as a light valve and an LCOS-type projector usingliquid crystal on silicon as a light valve are reflective typeprojectors that project images through light reflection. In thisembodiment, the projector is a DLP-type projector and the light valve320 is a digital micro-mirror device.

Though the embodiments of the invention have been presented for purposesof illustration and description, they are not intended to be exhaustiveor to limit the invention. Accordingly, many modifications andvariations without departing from the spirit of the invention oressential characteristics thereof will be apparent to practitionersskilled in this art. It is intended that the scope of the invention bedefined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents in which allterms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwiseindicated.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image displacement device, comprising: a firstgrating switchable between a diffracting state and a non-diffractingstate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the firstsurface, the first surface being capable of receiving an image beam, andthe second surface being capable of outputting the image beam; a secondgrating switchable between the diffracting state and the non-diffractingstate and being disposed downstream from the first grating in a lightpath, the second grating having a third surface and a fourth surfaceopposite the third surface, the third surface being capable of receivingthe image beam, and the fourth surface being capable of outputting theimage beam; a third grating switchable between the diffracting state andthe non-diffracting state and being disposed downstream from the secondgrating in the light path, the third grating having a fifth surface anda sixth surface opposite the fifth surface, the fifth surface beingcapable of receiving the image beam, and the sixth surface being capableof outputting the image beam; and a fourth grating switchable betweenthe diffracting state and the non-diffracting state and being disposeddownstream from the third grating in the light path, the fourth gratinghaving a seventh surface and a eighth surface opposite the seventhsurface, the seventh surface being capable of receiving the image beam,and the eighth surface being capable of outputting the image beam,wherein the image beam outputted from the eighth surface is capable ofbeing projected on four different positions on a same plane, and thefour different positions are not all aligned in a same line.
 2. Theimage displacement device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image beamis capable of making a first incident angle with respect to a surfacenormal of the first surface and is capable of making a first exit anglewith respect to the surface normal of the eighth surface, and the firstincident angle is substantially equal to the first exit angle.
 3. Theimage displacement device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image beamincident to the first surface is substantially parallel to the imagebeam outputted from the fourth surface.
 4. The image displacement deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first grating, the secondgrating, the third grating and the fourth grating is a holographicpolymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) cell.
 5. The image displacementdevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first grating and the secondgrating are both in a diffracting state or both in a non-diffractingstate.
 6. The image displacement device as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe third grating and the fourth grating are both in a diffracting stateor both in a non-diffracting state.
 7. The image displacement device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein two of the first to the fifth gratings havean identical first orientation of grating structures, and the other twoof the first to the fifth gratings have an identical second orientationof grating structures, and the second orientation is different to thefirst orientation.
 8. The image displacement device as claimed in claim7, wherein, when the first grating, the second grating, the thirdgrating and the fourth grating are both in a non-diffracting state, theimage beam is capable of travelling through the first grating, thesecond grating, the third grating and the fourth grating in asubstantially straight direction.
 9. The image displacement device asclaimed in claim 7, wherein, when the first grating and the secondgrating are in a diffracting state, the image beam is capable of beingdeflected by the first grating and the second grating, and, when thethird grating and the fourth grating are in a diffracting state, theimage beam is capable of being deflected by the third grating and thefourth grating.
 10. The image displacement device as claimed in claim 7,wherein, when the first grating, the second grating, the third gratingand the fourth grating are both in a diffracting state, the image beamis deflected by the first grating and the second grating to shift in afirst direction and deflected by the third grating and the fourthgrating to shift in a second direction.
 11. The image displacementdevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the four different positionsincludes a first position, a second position, a third position and afourth position, and a shortest distance between the first position andthe second position is substantially equal to a shortest distancebetween the third position and the fourth position.
 12. The imagedisplacement device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the four differentpositions includes a first position, a second position, a third positionand a fourth position, and a line connected between the first positionand the second position is substantially parallel to a line connectedbetween the third position and the fourth position.
 13. An imagedisplacement device, comprising: a first grating switchable between adiffracting state and a non-diffracting state having a first surface anda second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface beingcapable of receiving an image beam, and the second surface being capableof outputting the image beam; a second grating switchable between thediffracting state and the non-diffracting state and being disposeddownstream from the first grating in a light path, the second gratinghaving a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface,the third surface being capable of receiving the image beam, and thefourth surface being capable of outputting the image beam; a thirdgrating switchable between the diffracting state and the non-diffractingstate and being disposed downstream from the second grating in the lightpath, the third grating having a fifth surface and a sixth surfaceopposite the fifth surface, the fifth surface being capable of receivingthe image beam, and the sixth surface being capable of outputting theimage beam; and a fourth grating switchable between the diffractingstate and the non-diffracting state and being disposed downstream fromthe third grating in the light path, the fourth grating having a seventhsurface and a eighth surface opposite the seventh surface, the seventhsurface being capable of receiving the image beam, and the eighthsurface being capable of outputting the image beam, wherein the imagebeam outputted from the eighth surface is capable of being projected onfour different positions, and a shortest distance between two of thefour different positions is substantially equal to a shortest distancebetween the other two of the four different positions.
 14. The imagedisplacement device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the image beam iscapable of making a first incident angle with respect to a surfacenormal of the first surface and is capable of making a first exit anglewith respect to the surface normal of the eighth surface, and the firstincident angle is substantially equal to the first exit angle.
 15. Theimage displacement device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the firstgrating and the second grating are both in a diffracting state or bothin a non-diffracting state.
 16. The image displacement device as claimedin claim 13, wherein the third grating and the fourth grating are bothin a diffracting state or both in a non-diffracting state.
 17. The imagedisplacement device as claimed in claim 13, wherein two of the first tothe fifth gratings have an identical first orientation of gratingstructures, and the other two of the first to the fifth gratings have anidentical second orientation of grating structures, and the secondorientation is different to the first orientation.
 18. The imagedisplacement device as claimed in claim 17, wherein, when the firstgrating, the second grating, the third grating and the fourth gratingare both in a non-diffracting state, the image beam is capable oftravelling through the first grating, the second grating, the thirdgrating and the fourth grating in a substantially straight direction.19. The image displacement device as claimed in claim 17, wherein, whenthe first grating and the second grating are in a diffracting state, theimage beam is capable of being deflected by the first grating and thesecond grating, and, when the third grating and the fourth grating arein a diffracting state, the image beam is capable of being deflected bythe third grating and the fourth grating.
 20. The image displacementdevice as claimed in claim 13, wherein the image beam incident to thefirst surface is substantially parallel to the image beam outputted fromthe fourth surface.